House at Birdham

A decentralised type of plan was adopted for this country house, consisting of two separate blocks enclosing a small garden courtyard and linked by the staircase hall, forming a Z shape. Throughout the scheme there is a sequence of continual contact between inside and out.

The building has a frame-like enclosing shell from which certain portions of the interior are allowed to thrust out. The glass walled entrance to the house is accessed through a courtyard, spanning between the two brick blocks on either side.

The courtyard has a strongly marked entrance of its own in the form of a large frame cut in to a rubble screen wall, through which the visitor steps. It is designed as an extension to the hall, their unity being emphasised with the continuation of the brick exterior wall within the interior of the hall.

The western front of the house is planned to make the most of the remarkable view down Birdham Creek. It contains the living rooms, all of different proportions and directions of view and the owner’s suite. The east block contains all kitchen and service accommodation, children’s quarters, guest and staff bedrooms.

The walls of the house are ivory coloured brick with the screening wall from ochre-coloured sandstone.